July 8, 2022 · less than 3 min read
Virgin Galactic is adding to its space fleet.
The mother lode
Space tourism firm, Virgin Galactic, has contracted one of Boeing’s space subsidiaries to build two new motherships for Sir Richard Branson’s firm. Virgin’s existing mothership, VMS Eve, which has been hanging around for a long time, is undergoing a full refurbishment. No surprise then that Virgin needs a new spacecraft building partner.
The new ships will be capable of launching about 200 flights a year, which is much higher than any of Virgin’s existing ships. So, if Boeing can pull it off, this will be a major innovation in space tech.
Eve reloaded
Virgin and Boeing have been working on the new design for a long time, and although they declined to release the final contractual details, the new motherships are a hugely impressive feat for both businesses. Taking the best of VMS Eve and reloading it into an entirely new capable craft is a hugely exciting development.
It could also usher in a new era of space competition. With Boeing winning such high-level contracts, it means other businesses looking to compete will need to match, or even better, what’s being offered here.
The space race is only just getting started, and we’re excited to see what comes next.
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